Tag Archives: running

Top Tips to Get Ready to Run

You’ve made the decision to get in shape, and whether your goal is a full marathon or simply a few laps around the neighborhood, there are a few steps to consider taking before you strap on those shoes and head toward the finish line.

Here are a few tips to help get you ready for the big race:

Seek Quality Sneakers – Feet come in a variety of widths and sizes, so visit a specialty running store to find perfect-fitting sneakers. These may come with a hefty price tag, but there are no shortcuts for comfort and support while running long distances.

Make a Schedule – Try to aim for at least 10 hours of training per week, including three days where you run and two or three days of other physical activity such as cycling or strength training. To avoid exhaustion, be sure to include at least 1-2 “rest” days per week.

Stick with Water – Avoid sports drinks that are loaded with preservatives and sugars. You can’t go wrong with the hydrating power of water. As a rule, try to consume at least 6-8 ounces of water for every 20 minutes you run. Proper hydration after the run is also vital.

Go Online – Many websites have training guides for various skill levels or different types of races. If you have a smartphone, look for apps that can take you through day-by-day workouts to get you marathon-ready.

Nutrition – Filling your body with the proper amount of fuel can help ensure finish-line success. Load up on quality carbohydrates, such as beans, peas, whole-wheat pastas, whole-grain cereals, apples, brown rice, and root vegetables. Protein also plays an important role in a runner’s nutrition, so fill up on lean meats, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy, peanut butter and soy protein sources, as well.

By following these general rules, you’ll be able to focus on achieving your goal and enjoy the thrill of finishing the race. Find more tips for a healthier lifestyle at eLivingToday.com.

The Return of America’s Toughest Road Marathon!

Are you ready for the most exciting annual spring athletic event to come to Roanoke this year? We couldn’t be more excited for the return of the Blue Ridge Marathon! This year’s event will take place on April 21 at 7:35am. It features a full marathon, a half marathon, a 10k, and a Carilion Children’s Family one mile walk/run! Courses begin and end in Elmwood Park, and each one is uniquely geared to be fun for every participant. Whichever path you choose, you are guaranteed to have a great time.

The full marathon (26.2 miles!!!) course takes runners through scenic views of the Blue Ridge parkway, Mill Mountain, and South Roanoke. “America’s Toughest Road Marathon” is also, arguably, the most beautiful. Marathon runners will receive free chip timing, access to “runners-only” food tent at the finish line, free event/runner photos courtesy of Game Face Media, an event shirt (if you registered by March 20), one complimentary beer ticket, live music at the finish, a free pair of Feetures! running socks, access to Fleet Recovery Zone massages and chiropractic adjustments, and more! If you’re thinking that 26.2 miles is not challenging enough, you may want to join the double marathon runners. This dedicated group starts running as early as 1 a.m. on Saturday. (There are limited registration spots available for the full and double marathons, so register as soon as possible!)

Not ready for the full marathon yet? That’s perfectly okay. The half marathon is also challenging, and features all of the freebies mentioned above. The best part: you get to break off and head to the finish line while the full marathoners continue for another 13 miles! All marathon and half marathon finishers receive a commemorative finisher’s medal. The top three male and female finishers in each age group, and the top three runners overall, will receive awards.

There is also an option to conquer the full marathon as a four person team. The 4-Person Marathon Relay allows a team of four friends to complete the course, one section at a time. All members of the relay team will get their own unique Blue Ridge Marathon Relay finisher’s medal and a marathon shirt. The first three teams, regardless of their gender or age, will be awarded a trophy at the end of the full marathon award ceremony.

Finally, the 10k option is a great way to get involved in the excitement without the daunting commitment of the full or half marathons. The course will still take you up to the Mill Mountain Star, and there will be awesome photo opportunities to commemorate your achievement. Once you finish your route, you can enjoy local food from food trucks, a beer compliments of the Blue Ridge Marathon team, and free live music. It doesn’t get any better than that!

For more information on the Blue Ridge Marathon, its rules and features, please visit www.blueridgemarathon.com. We can’t wait to see you there!

In 2014, it is estimated that 40,000 individuals will lose their battle with breast cancer. Others will fight their battle and win—but not without enduring immense struggle and pain. Those affected will span all ages, ethnicities and income levels. This disease does not care if you are a parent, child, sibling or friend. It does not even discriminate based upon gender. There are ways to reduce your personal risk factors, but there are many undetermined causes of cause breast cancer. This means it is currently impossible to prevent it. The chances are very high that you or someone you love will be affected in some way. Before that happens, we must stand together as a community to save the lives of those we love.

On April 12th, we ask you to join Susan G. Komen and Bella at the Race for the Cure in Roanoke. Joey Beck, race chair for the Susan G. Komen foundation, encourages participants to take pride in their contributions. “I think the biggest misconception is that we are just another event,” she says, “Unlike some events in our area, money contributed to this race will stay local. Seventy-five percent of funds stay in our area. The other 25 percent goes to national scientific research. That is why I got involved with Komen. There is only a matter of time before myself or someone I love is diagnosed, and I know they will be there.”

This race is for both serious runners and those who would rather walk with their families. Participants who wish to race the 5K can request to be officially timed, and it will take place on a US track and field certified course. However, this race is not about finishing first. It’s about showing up, walking courageously, and giving your support to those who need it most. You might be surprised how many people, in our area alone, are facing this illness.

Beck explains, “Breast cancer is becoming an epidemic. Nationally, one in eight women will be diagnosed this year. In our region, that number climbs to one in five. Our region also has a higher mortality rate. Women know something is wrong, and they wait too long to get checked out. By the time they do, it is too late. What many of them do not realize is this is no longer an ‘old lady’s disease.’ The number of young people who are facing breast cancer is climbing every year. I know of teenagers that have been diagnosed. ”

A few hours on a Saturday morning and a small contribution to this race can help change course of this disease. Ladies, bring your husbands and children along! This event will be fun for the whole family. Participants will receive a Race for the Cure t-shirt, but you are encouraged to rock the color pink in any form: from tank tops and shorts to tutus and pink hair. This is our time to shine for those who are battling breast cancer, those who have survived it, and those who lost their battle. So find your best tennis shoes, collect your pink accessories, and go to www.komenvablueridge.org to register for the race. We’ll see you there!

Winter will not give us a break! Noses that drip and stuffed up ears. Fevers that reach 102 degrees, and pink eye that requires two prescriptions and three weeks to relent. An impassable driveway. Temperatures below 40 degrees three weeks in a row. Snow, snow and more snow. But the most annoying thing about this endless winter? The hash it’s made of my running schedule.

I’m an unimpressive runner. Very slow, I stop to use the bathroom every 20 – 30 minutes, get lapped by runners younger and fitter, and passed by those larger and older. I’m not winning medals or breaking any records.But so what! Running makes me feel like a rock star; strong and lean, and I drop it into conversation every chance I get.

Quite simply, I am in love with running. Thrilled with my increased energy level, I adore the couple of uninterrupted hours it gives my husband and me to talk every other morning. Most importantly, running has kept me fit without the stress of dieting, which is not easy at 51 years old.

What this involves is a shift of perspective. Instead of obsessing about what that brownie, cupcake or extra helping of mashed potatoes will add on the scale, think instead of how what you eat affects your workouts. You don’t have to run marathons. Walking, Nia, or tennis will do. Thinking of yourself as an athlete, your food choices are filtered through that lens. I want those cookies but I am not supposed to have them, becomes, I need to eat some turkey to properly fuel myself for my workout in an hour.

Negativity and denial, dangerous issues when it comes to weight, are removed from the equation. Here are some ideas:

1) Allow yourself to fall in love; cultivate an interest in walking, running, yoga, or nia. Read everything you can on the activity, as if you were preparing to learn knitting, Spanish cooking or bird watching.

2) It’s never too late to start. I didn’t begin running until my mid forties.

3) Take ego, appearance and weight out of it. Thoughts like, “I have to do this because it will help me to lose weight,” are negative. Do your regular workout as a result of your commitment to the activity.

4) Begin with baby steps: I started out running up and down my driveway, now I can go up to 90 minutes at a time.

5) Find a mentor. People enjoy helping others pursue a shared passion. My guru was a single woman 21 years my junior. An accomplished runner who had run every U.S. marathon at least twice, she came to my neighborhood once a week, keeping me laughing and distracted as we hauled up the hills of my development. She lives in Europe now with her husband and new baby.These days when we get together it’s over a meal and a glass of wine- and I don’t even count the calories!